Apocalyptic Rebirth

43.The little fairy is in a hurry

After Chen Zhenghao had taken the life of the resident from 301, the atmosphere within the entire unit grew exceedingly tense.

The once lively crowd now dared not utter a word.

Chen Zhenghao seemed to have become aware that the residents had quietly formed a new homeowners' group behind his back.

However, such matters were inherently difficult to prohibit.

He could only resort to various threats and persuasion tactics within the homeowners' group.

"The current situation is dire, and everyone is merely trying to survive; no one wishes to resort to bloodshed," he asserted.

"Had it not been for that lad from 301, who laid hands on my people first, I wouldn't have inadvertently taken his life. I'm certainly no demon, after all."

"I hope in the future we can coexist harmoniously and, when the need arises, extend a bit of sustenance our way."

"As long as you all obediently cooperate, I assure you that we can all coexist without incident."

With these words spoken, some individuals genuinely began to relax their vigilance.

There were even those who contemplated that perhaps Chen Zhenghao's account of events was accurate, and the owner of 301 had initiated the violence.

This was precisely the Stockholm syndrome in action.

Amid the despair of impending death, just a glimmer of goodwill from the aggressor was enough to earn gratitude.

Zhang Yi, however, remained an observer, coldly watching without passing judgment or becoming involved.

Nevertheless, he couldn't help but harbor increased wariness towards Chen Zhenghao.

While his home was exceptionally well fortified, and Chen Zhenghao's gang had neither the numbers nor the firepower to breach it, in this post-apocalyptic world, an extra layer of caution was never unwarranted.

"If he ever provokes me, I'll seize the opportunity to eliminate him," Zhang Yizheng stated in a dispassionate tone.

...

This fleeting tranquility was disrupted on the second day.

Although the residents of every household were too afraid to venture outside due to fear of Chen Zhenghao, they still required the resources obtained from chipping ice and fetching water.

Therefore, some individuals discreetly opened their doors, intending to exploit a moment of inattention to gather snow.

The outcome, however, was that they were apprehended by those dispatched by Chen Zhenghao for surveillance.

The provisions they had seized on the first day had already been devoured by the ravenous ruffians. They were now driven by an insatiable hunger, treating all residents of the building as their prey.

Whenever they captured someone, they showed no restraint; they would ruthlessly plunder everything.

Within the new group, the cries for help were unmistakable.

When Zhang Yi opened the group chat and perused the messages, he found himself amused.

The one crying for help was none other than Liu Tiantian, residing on the seventh floor.

Chen Zhenghao lived on the sixth floor, directly below her apartment.

On this particular morning, she had contemplated sneaking out under the cover of darkness to collect snow and water, only to be apprehended in the act.

Living alone, her belongings required little time to pack.

Moreover, she had been a target of Chen Zhenghao's group for some time now.

In addition, after nearly two weeks of confinement, Chen Zhenghao and his cohorts were growing increasingly restless, and they had conceived of finding a woman to vent their desires upon.

Although Liu Tiantian wasn't particularly attractive, her youth and figure sufficed.

Given the circumstances, there was no longer room for pickiness.

Thus, the group of miscreants armed with wrenches and iron rods charged forward with gleeful grins.

Liu Tiantian quickly locked her door, desperation setting in as she realized she needed to seek help from her neighbors.

"Wuwuwu, please, everyone, come and save me! They're attempting to break down my door. I'm begging you; they'll kill me!"

"@Uncle You, Uncle You, please save me! Aren't you a veteran? They surely won't be able to match you."

"These people are utterly untrustworthy and exceedingly cruel. We need to stand together!"

"In the event that something happens to me, the next victim could be any of you!"

Liu Tiantian, her voice choked with sobs, sent one voice message after another in the group chat, urgently seeking assistance.

However, her audacity and moral coercion the day before, when she had berated all the male homeowners in the chat, had not gone unnoticed. Consequently, there was little sympathy for her now.

"Oh, that's right, we're all useless. Miss Innocent, you're so capable; surely you don't need our help!"

"Haha, does Miss Innocent know how to fight? Beat those people to death!"

"Yesterday, you were so vocal, we thought you were tough. Turns out, you still need us losers to save you."

"You might as well just die; your death will bring happiness to a thousand households!"

Laughter filled the group chat as residents took delight in Liu Tiantian's dire predicament.

Because Liu Tiantian had already been robbed of her belongings, they believed that, at least for now, they were safe from harm.

In the face of the cold mockery, Liu Tiantian's heart sank into despair.

She then turned to the female homeowners for assistance, but their responses were uniform.

"We're all sisters, but in such circumstances, there's little we can do."

"Sisters, stay strong! We support you emotionally."

"You must hold on; if they break in, who knows what they'll do to you!"

"That's right, with so many of them, they might play you to death."

Some offered perfunctory comfort, while others

made ominous remarks meant to incite fear.

People's emotions had become warped after prolonged isolation and the looming threat of death.

More and more residents joined the chat, but the conversation had taken on a sinister tone.

"Hahaha, my suggestion is to strangle one of them; it's a public service!"

"Yeah, yeah, given that she's already been robbed at home, I doubt she'll survive. Might as well offer herself as a sacrifice."

"Oh, absolutely! Let's see how strong she is. If she dies, it'll bring happiness to a thousand households!"

The chat was filled with dark humor and a sense of cruelty. In the face of despair and the imminent threat of death, people's hearts had begun to twist.

Back in Zhang Yi's home, he watched the surveillance feed as Liu Tiantian let out a scream and was forcibly dragged away by several hooligans.

"In this frigid weather, it's worth remembering that exposing any part of your skin to the elements is perilous!" Zhang Yi remarked, taking another bite of his chocolate bar.